When trying to use the new Warp Stabilizer inside After Effects CS5.5, I get the following error "timed out obtaining dynamic link server project." I never get past this error. Why does the warp stabilizer use dynamic link?

I have searched all of the previous posts, and re-starting the computer does not fix the problem. Does anyone have any ideas or a solution to this problem?

Yeah, that's what I'm doing. I have a new AE project with just one clip in it, started fresh without anything to do with Premiere. Any time I try to stabilize the shot, I get the error. This shot has never been in Premiere, that's why I don't understand the dynamic link error or why it even has to use dynamic link. Isn't the plugin native to AE?

Yeah, I've never been able to use it. I've always gotten around stabilizing shots with Mocha or the older point tracker but this shot I'm working on has some issues that I'd like to try to fix in the new stabilizer. I'll check my firewall settings and report back.

Ok, the firewall was already off so I can rule that out (CPU isn't connected to the internet or any network). So my only other option is to clean out the quicktime folder and add the codecs in one at a time till I find the one causing the error?

Try rebooting your computer and then trying to use the Warp Stabilizer in After Effects before you start any other applications. It's possible that another application is blocking the port that AFter Effects needs. (I've seen FileMaker do this, for example.)

Ok, after restart and upon opening AE with the effect already applied inside the comp, AE crashes. After relaunching, and re-starting the effect, I get the same error message. I noticed that I have a few programs that are set to launch on startup, so I will have to remvove those apps from the login menu on my account and try again. Here's my answers to the questions:

What version of After Effects? Include the minor version number (e.g., After Effects CS5.5 with the 10.5.1 update). 10.5.1

What operating system? This should include specific minor version numbers, like "Mac OSX v10.6.8"---not just "Mac". OSX 10.6.8

What kind(s) of source footage? When telling about your source footage, tell us about the codecs, not just the container types. For example, "H.264 in a .mov container", not just "QuickTime". Apple ProRez 4444, also tested using Animation Codec.

If you are getting error message(s), what is the full text of the error message(s)? "timed out obtaining dynamic link server project."

What were you doing when the problem occurred? Trying to use the Warp Stabilizer.

Has this ever worked before? No

What other software are you running?

Do you have any third-party effects or codecs installed? Yes

Tell us about your computer hardware. Include CPU type and number of processor cores, amount of RAM installed, GPU, number of disk drives, and how any external drives are connected. Mac Pro 2 x 2.66 6 core, 32 gigs of ram, 4 internal drives. One external Firewire 800 drive.

Do you have any third-party I/O hardware (e.g., AJA, Matrox, Blackmagic, MOTU)? No

Just to chime in --- I've been using Warp Stabilizer effect and it works perfectly most of the time. If I have around 10 clips analyzing, sometimes this error will pop up "timed out obtaining dynamiclink server", which requires restarting AE. To keep the error from happening, I limit the amount of clips analyzing at the same time.

I also did notice that AE projects using the warp stablizer effect take much more time to save and have larger file size than normal.

Yes, these are known issues. If you use the plugin on lots of different items, you might want to pre-render them and then delete the effect. It does create longer save times. As for the error, that should be fixed in a future version. If you run into it and can't stabilize, you might try to reboot.

I tried adding a very basic project using Adobe Media Encoder and though it says I am connected to the media server, I am unable to click "ok" and add the comp to the que. I tried the drag and drop method as well with no luck.

Also, prior to this test, I did reboot without loading any login items, so AME was the first program launched after startup. I would consider re-installing AE CS5.5 again, but I am considering that a last resort at this point.

Do you have Premiere Pro? If so, let's try something to see if all Dynamic Link functionality is broken, or just that from After Effects. Open Adobe Media Encoder and try to add a Premiere Pro sequence using the File > Add Premiere Pro Sequence command.

If this fails, then we know that something is blocking all Dynamic Link communication.

Ok, I restarted and launched only AE then launched the activity monitor inside OSX. I did see "dynamiclinkmanager" running. I was also able to successfully export a quicktime movie from AE. Since all of that was successful, I tried again to stabilize a clip and I am still getting the dynamic link server time out error.

When you invoke Warp Stabilizer, it talks to dynamiclinkserver, then starts Adobe Stabilizer Server, which then starts an aeselflink process. Does the Adobe Stabilizer Server process ever run, and does aeselflink ever start up?

I just tried another test with Activity Monitor on, and I can confirm that both of the processes are running (Adobe Stabilizer Server, and the aeselflink process) but I still get a time out connecting to the dynamic link server. After this un-successful test, I tried to restart AE and it crashed on shutdown. Should I uninstall and re-install AE CS5.5 and see if the issues clear up?

Ok, I did a clean install and reset my preferences file. I was successfully able to stabilize a clip. After resetting my preferences and assigning my old disk cache file location, I started getting errors again. I noticed that when I was able to get the Warp Stabilizer to function successfully, the Adobe Stabilizer Server would show 100% cpu activity. If I got a time-out error, it never went above 2% or 3% usage. After making a new cache file for AE to write to, everything seems to be working. Thanks again for the help.

The cache file is on an external raid drive. The permissions to read and write are correct too. The new file is on the same drive, just in a different folder. Originally, all of my AE programs (CS4, 5, and 5.5) were writing to one cache file location (one folder) that I could easily clean out from time to time. The only thing I did differently was assign the CS5.5 cache file to different folder on the same drive.

I have the same problem - Win7, 64bit. Reinstall doesn't help. On first launch after reinstall stabilizer works but on the next ones - I get the error. Really annoying, reinstalling each time is not a good option.